The Pump & the Potty

So it's one month since we started the pump and I am so glad we did. We've adjusted nicely from about 6 shots a day to basically one every three. We're getting used to checking blood sugar more often and our doctors are helping pinpoint the incredibly precise doses of insulin Benny needs. About a week and a half into it I decided Benny was ready for another change. No more diapers. He's two and a half, his sister was potty trained right at two and frankly, I was sick of changing him. Lea was easy - she just decided she was ready and after two weeks (and a few accidents) we were pretty much done. Benny's known how to do it and wasn't afraid or unable, he would just say "no" when I asked him if he was ready to make the leap. So basically, I decided to stop asking and start telling - which is really the best way to handle a two year old.

We made the big move the day of a birthday party at Gymboree. It was for one year old twins, so I didn't think anyone would get too carried away if we had a few accidents. Benny did great! He had one accident during the party but otherwise was terrific all day. We did have a blood sugar issue during the party, though. He said he was tired and laid down on a mat. His blood sugar was 32! Hasn't been that low for a long time. One juice box and a piece of birthday cake later, he was back to his old self.

Now nearly three weeks into it, I'd say Benny is pretty much potty trained. Yay! Interesting, though, how diabetes affects this as well. When your blood sugar is high, your body is trying to get rid of the extra glucose in your body. That means lots of drinking and peeing. There's also Benny's insulin pump. He wears it 24/7 in a little fanny pack around his waist, so we have to make sure that's out of the way. The pump is attached to his body by a thin tube attached to what we call a "button" on his bottom, the infusion set. More info on that here. We've discovered a unique problem with that. When a two year old tries to take off his own pants, he can pull the button out. He's done it three times already. Because of that, he's pretty cautious. Anytime we go to the potty he tells me, "Be careful my button!" Even so, he's doing great. And we can finally get rid of the changing table and the diaper genie. Next step: no more pacifiers. That's a totally different story.